Wrexham boss emerges as candidate for the Shrewsbury Town job

Wrexham boss Sam Ricketts has emerged as a candidate for the Shrewsbury Town job.

The League One side are in the hunt for a new manager after sacking John Askey on Monday. Other names in the running are former Blackburn Rovers and Blackpool boss Gary Bowyer, their former manager Paul Hurst and Newport County’s Michael Flynn.

Ricketts, who is 37 years-old, would be a surprise choice for the Shrews. He took his first managerial job with Wrexham over the summer and has started very well with them. The former Wales international has guided them to the top of the National League as it stands.

Ricketts was a right-back in his playing days and started his career at Oxford United before spells at Nuneaton Town and AFC Telford. He was snapped up by Swansea City in 2004 and spent two seasons with the Swans.

He then joined Hull City in 2006 for £300,000 and was a huge player for the Tigers in their 2008 Premier League promotion winning campaign. He helped them stay in the top flight in their first ever season at that level but moved on to Bolton Wanderers in July 2009.

The defender then spent four seasons with the Trotters before later stints at Wolves, Coventry City and Swindon Town in a career cut short by injury in 2016.

After retiring in November 2016, Ricketts worked at Wolves as the manager of their Under-16’s team. He has grasped his opportunity at Wrexham, but could a move to League One to Shrewsbury be on the cards for him already?